title: Effects of creatine supplementation in taekwondo practitioners.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Taekwondo (TKD) is a combat sport, which has also been proposed as a fitness program, with a strong anaerobic component. Creatine (Cr) supplementation is used to improve both anaerobic exercise performance and body composition. Therefore, Cr supplementation could be beneficial in TKD.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of Cr supplementation (50 mg/kg body wt) on body composition, anaerobic power and blood chemistry in young male TKD practitioners.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten male TKD practitioners (age [20 ± 2 yr], height [1.69 ± 0.06 m], and mass [67 ± 9.8 kg]) participated in a placebo-controlled, double blind, crossover study. Body composition (DEXA), anaerobic power (Wingate Test), blood lactate and blood chemistry were measured before and after supplementation. Differences between data before and after supplementation were calculated for each treatment (Cr and Placebo) and were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fat mass (kg) decreased after placebo (Mdn [IqR] = -0.75 [-1.44 to 0.03]) and increased following Cr intake (0.17 [-0.77 to 1.13] kg) (Z = 2.191, p < 0.028, r = 0.49). Serum triglyceride concentration (mg/mL) increased after Cr (45.00 [-7.50 to 75.00]) and decrease with placebo (-7.00 [-10.75 to 12.00]) (Z = 2.090, p < 0.037, r = 0.47). No changes were found in others parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cr supplementation may increase fat mass and serum triglycerides concentration in young male TKD practitioners without improvement in anaerobic power. Cr supplementation appears to be safe, but athletes should be careful when they want to loss fat.
authors.affiliation: Center for Research and Graduate Studies in Health Sciences, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Toluca, México.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Manjarrez-Montes de Oca
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Farfán-González
authors.forename: Socorro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Camarillo-Romero
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tlatempa-Sotelo
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Francisco-Argüelles
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kormanowski
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: González-Gallego
authors.forename: Ildefonso
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Alvear-Ordenes
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000693:Anaerobiosis / Q000502:physiology; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D001823:Body Composition / Q000187:drug effects; D003404:Creatinine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004798:Enzymes / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D016139:Martial Arts / Q000502:physiology*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004798:Enzymes; D014280:Triglycerides; D019344:Lactic Acid; D003404:Creatinine